Category: American Airlines

The Details

• Flight: AA2058
• Aircraft: B737-800
• Class: Main Cabin Extra
• Seat: 17A and 17C
• Route: San Diego International (SAN)-Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)
• Distance: 1,840miles
• Flight time: 3hrs 11min
• Departure: 9:26AM
• Arrival: 2:47PM

The Preflight

After spending a few wonderful days in sunny San Diego, it was time for my significant other and I to head home to freezing Chicago. Unfortunately, our upgrades did not clear and we were seated in the second exit row on the B737. We arrived at San Diego International Airport about an hour before the scheduled boarding time of 8:55AM. American Airlines and Alaska Airlines both operate from Terminal 2 East at SAN which is the old portion of Terminal 2. There were self check-in kiosks available for use and we printed our bag tags.

The PreCheck lane was open and had just a few passengers ahead of us in line. We were airside in about five minutes after dropping our bags off.

Turning left after the TSA area, we headed toward the Airspace Lounge. Thanks to my AMEX Platinum card, I was able to bring my significant other in for free without a guest charge. We were each given a $10 voucher to use on food and drinks in the lounge.

The lounge had a great amount of socially distanced seating.

Due to COVID-19, the self-serve snacks were placed behind the bar and were handed out by the bartender.

The food menu had a small variety of hot and cold options.

I had my usual breakfast sandwich with bacon and sausage while my significant other had the chicken Caesar wrap. Espresso drinks were available for free and were brought to our table by the lounge staff.

With five minutes until boarding was scheduled to begin, we made our way to the gate area. Our B737-800, registration N862NN, was delivered brand new to American Airlines in November 2010.

Boarding began exactly on time at 8:55AM and was done by groups. Unlike other airlines who changed the boarding process due to COVID-19, American continues to board via groups.

The Flight

This B737-800 was recently retrofitted to have American’s newest economy seat and cabin dubbed “Oasis”. The “Oasis” cabin densified the B737-800s and added 12 more economy seats in the same space at the expense of pitch. In total, there are 16 first class, 30 Main Cabin Extra, and 126 Main Cabin seats.

The new economy seats are Collins Aerospace Meridian slimline seats which offer 17″ of width. Main Cabin Extra offers 33″ of pitch while standard economy offers 30″. My SO and I were both seated in row 17 which is the last exit row and marked as MCE. This row probably had up to 38″ of pitch.

The benefit of row 17 is that row 16 in front cannot recline into your space. In addition, this seat features 4″ of recline while standard economy only has 2″.

The new slimline seatbacks have a tablet holder for personal devices as well as a conveniently placed USB port.

The tray table was basic but was large enough for my laptop.

The legroom in the exit row was very generous and unobstructed. Each seat in MCE also has individual 110V outlets.

17A was directly adjacent to the emergency exit and the armrest was split in half. This did get uncomfortable during the flight since I could not really rest my arm on it.

The middle armrest was very narrow and had the recline button.

Unlike all of my previous flights with American Airlines during the COVID-19 pandemic, this time we were not given sanitizing wipes on boarding. The boarding process was completed within 30 minutes and we pushed back five minutes later at 9:26AM.

It was a very brief taxi to runway 27 and soon we were off bound for Chicago.

I inserted my tablet into the device mount and loaded the AA inflight entertainment system. While there is no longer an inflight map, there is still a bar with how much longer is remaining in flight.

Due to COVID-19, American Airlines has greatly reduced their inflight service.

Flight attendants came down the aisle once with snack bags and that was it for the main cabin service.

Each bag contained a water bottle, pretzel bag, and sanitizing wipe.

I watched a few episodes of the new AppleTV show For All Mankind which were great as we cruised over the Rockies.

I also checked out the rear economy class lavatories which are the new Collins Aerospace “Spacewall” design. It was incredibly narrow and definitely felt claustrophobic.

The sink itself was tiny and the water sprayed all over the wall when I went to wash my hands. Interestingly, there was C.O. Bigelow branded soap which I thought was reserved for first class only…

On our initial descent into the Chicago area we passed over the beautiful Lake Michigan and had some clear views of downtown Chicago on our final approach for the runway. We touched down at 2:47PM local time and had a 20 minutes taxi to Terminal 3.

Thanks for the ride!

The Details

• Flight: AA1543
• Aircraft: B737-800
• Class: Domestic First
• Seat: 4D and 4F
• Route: Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)-San Diego International (SAN)
• Distance: 1,763miles
• Flight time: 3hrs 49min
• Departure: 4:40PM
• Landed: 6:53PM

The Preflight

This flight was the first time that my significant other was flying since the COVID-19 pandemic began almost a year ago. We had both just gotten fully vaccinated and felt much safer flying together again.

After parking in the self-park lot, we took the shuttle over to Terminal 3 at O’Hare which was relatively empty. The first class check-in was empty and no one was ahead of us in the TSA PreCheck line.

We made our way to the Admirals Club which was open.

There were at most 20 people scattered throughout the lounge.

There was self-serve beverages available including the soda machine and coffee machine.

All of the food choices were individually packaged.

Behind the bar there was potato cheddar soup and snack towers.

At around 3:30PM, more hot food was brought out. There was a staff-served roasted tomato soup and build your own mac & cheese bowl.

In addition, there was made-to-order guacamole.

We had great views from the lounge as the afternoon bank of flights arrived.

With 10 minutes until boarding was scheduled to begin, we made our way to the gate area. Along the way, we passed by a B777 which were a rarity prior to COVID-19 at O’Hare.

Our B737-800 today, registration N920NN, was delivered brand new to American Airlines in March 2013 making her just eight years old.

While this was a relatively full flight, most passengers remained socially distanced in the gate area. Boarding began exactly on time at 4:10PM and was done by groups. Unlike United and Delta Airlines which began boarding back to front, American has continued to use their pre-pandemic boarding process.

The Flight

This aircraft featured American’s newest first class seat dubbed “Kodiak”. There were a total of 16 first class seats across rows 1-4. In addition, there were 30 Main Cabin Extra and 126 Main Cabin seats for a total of 172 seats.

The new first class seats are Collins Aerospace MiQ seats with 37 inches of pitch with 21 inches of width.

While American had decided to forgo seatback entertainment screens, they did install a device holder for streaming on personal devices.

Next to the device holder was a conveniently placed USB port.

There was a small literature pocket which did not impact the legroom at all. I appreciated how there was no obstacles underneath the seat restricting legroom.

In between the seatbacks was a small cocktail tray.

The right hand armrest was non-adjustable and was where the tray table was stowed.

The large bi-fold tray table was very sturdy and had a built in tablet stand.

The center armrest also featured a small tabletop for drinks.

The recline button was located beneath.

Under the center armrest was a large storage bin as well as 110V outlet.

While the older B737-800s featured an actual wall between the first and economy class cabin, the newest cabin has a board instead.

The boarding doors were closed a 4:38PM, 28 minutes after boarding began. Unfortunately, the flight attendants had to remind more than a few passengers during the boarding process to keep their masks on properly. Push back commenced at 4:45PM.

After about a 10 minute taxi to runway 9C we took off.

Once in the air, I connected to the inflight entertainment system on my phone. Unlike Alaska, Delta, or United Airlines, American does not offer an inflight map on their inflight streaming service.

Service began with a round of drinks served front to back of the cabin. The lovely flight attendant served my Bloody Mary as a double with a slice of lime.

Due to COVID-19, American Airlines has limited their food offerings on board. On flights more than 900 miles, they provide either a turkey sandwich or fruit and cheese plate.

I went with the turkey sandwich which came with a chocolate chip cookie. The sandwich itself is pretty good and much better than the sandwiches United Airlines offers.

My significant other went with the fruit and cheese plate that also came with some cold nuts and a piece of chocolate. Compared to the Alaska Airlines fruit and cheese plate, this one was average at best.

Once we had finished our food, the flight attendant came through the cabin and offered another round of drinks. I switched to a Gin&Tonic which was also served double.

There was a beautiful sunset as we cruised westwards above the clouds.

I also browsed the inflight entertainment on my laptop.

As we neared San Diego, I went to use the first class cabin lavatory. It was unremarkable but at least was semi-clean.

There was C.O. Bigelow branded soap but no other amenities.

The rest of the flight was uneventful and we had a very smooth approach into San Diego coming in from the east. We landed on runway 27 at 6:52PM local time.

The taxi was short and direct to gate 30 in Terminal 2. Thanks for the ride!

The Details

• Flight: AA1925
• Aircraft: B737-800
• Class: Domestic First
• Seat: 3A
• Route: Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)-San Diego International (SAN)
• Distance: 1,738 miles
• Duration: 3hrs 54min
• Departure: 8:13AM
• Arrival: 10:07AM

The Preflight

My flight was scheduled to depart from O’Hare at 8:17AM so I arrived about an hour prior to boarding at 6:40AM. There were a surprising amount of people checking in on this cold December morning. There was no one in the TSA PreCheck lane so I was through to airside within 10 minutes of being dropped off.

Terminal 3, home to American Airlines, was fully decorated and ready for Christmas.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic only one Admirals Club was open at T3, the one between the H/K concourses. The Flagship Lounge below has remained closed since the pandemic started.

The food offerings remained unchanged from my previous visit. There was individually packaged hard-boiled eggs, fresh fruit, yogurt and milk.

Additional options included cereal, bananas, and oranges.

There was also cookies and bagels. Condiments included peanut butter, jam, cream cheese, and butter.

From 7:00-10:00AM, there is also a made-to-order avocado toast and scrambled eggs station. I had an avocado toast topped with smoked salmon, egg, onions, and crumbled cheese. The scrambled egg toppings included bacon and cheddar cheese.

There was a beautiful red sunrise over Chicago which I tried to capture on my phone…

The views in the Admirals Club over the apron are amazing. My flight was departing from Gate K6 front and center.

Boarding began at 7:44AM and was relatively socially distanced.

Our beautiful B737-800 registration N926NN was delivered to American Airlines back in May 2013.

The Flight

This plane featured American Airlines’ newest Domestic First product – “Project Kodiak”. These seats are an upgrade from the original “Project Oasis” seats with slightly more padding and seat features. The cabin featured 16 seats in a 2-2 configuration with four rows.

Each seat had 37 inches of pitch with 21 inches of width. I actually found the padding on these seats to be more comfortable than the previous 737 Domestic First class seats.

Improvements to the original Oasis seats included a new seatback tablet holder and USB port.

I do miss the old seatback IFE screens.

There are 37 inches of pitch and I had more than enough room to stretch out my legs. There was also a small literature pocket.

In the shared center armrest was a large storage space.

The armrest itself folded up for better access to the space.

The 110V outlet under the armrest.

The seat recline button was in the center armrest as well. Unfortunately, the seats themselves barely reclined.

The tray table was located in the window side armrest.

A panel could be folded out to create a device stand.

The fully folded out tray table was large.

A nice addition to the Kodiak seats that is missing from Oasis seats is the small shared drink holder.

Upon boarding all passengers in both First and Economy were given a plastic bag containing a mini-bottle of water, Biscoff, and sanitizing wipe.

We pushed back five minutes early and had a very short taxi to the runway. There were quite a few international widebodies at Terminal 5, including an Air India 777-300ER, Korean Air 777-300ER, and JAL 787-9.

The take-off was smooth and we had great views of the Chicagoland suburbs.

I connected my tablet to the AA inflight Wi-Fi and browsed some of the movies and shows.

Service began with a round of drinks. I had a Bloody Mary and was served a double! A COVID-19 cutback was the ramekin of warmed mixed nuts and proper glassware.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, American Airlines has modified their inflight food offerings. For flights between 900 and 2,199 miles they offer a selection of snacks in addition to the open bar. Since this was a morning flight, the snacks were breakfast choices.

Breakfast was served from a basket. Options included a turkey croissant, yogurt and berries, or a fruit and cheese plate.

I went with the turkey croissant that was served with a small packet of mustard. The croissant was moist but the turkey itself was very dry.

My companion decided to go with the fruit and cheese plate. She said it was reasonable.

It was served with a small amount of mixed nuts and a chocolate.

The flight attendants were very personable and made multiple passes through the cabin offering drinks. I moved onto a G&T. Throughout the flight the flight attendants also were very strict with the mask requirements. The passenger in front of me fell asleep with his mask off and was awoken with a reminder to put it over his mouth and nose.

We passed over Colorado and had views of some beautiful snow capped mountains.

The lavatory up front was fairly well kept and had C.O Bigelow hand soap.

We had great views of the Salton Sea while approaching San Diego.

And some amazing views of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

As usual there were great views of downtown San Diego on the landing approach.

And some great harbor views with the US Navy in the background.

We had a very short taxi to the gate. Thanks for the ride!

As always we passed under a replica of Spirit of St. Louis, which Charles Lindbergh flew solo across the Atlantic in 1927, on our way to the baggage claim area.

I must say I don’t hate the new “Kodiak” Domestic First class seats. They are comfortable, have an excellent amount of storage, and have multiple mounts for personal devices. In my opinion, these seats are much better than United’s newest generation of slimline Domestic First class seats.

The Details

• Flight: AA956
• Aircraft: B737-800
• Class: Main Cabin
• Seat: 22A
• Route: San Diego International (SAN)-Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)
• Distance: 1,738 miles
• Duration: 3hrs 22min
• Departure: 8:06AM
• Arrival: 1:27PM

The Preflight

I was dropped off at San Diego Terminal 2 East about 90 minutes before my scheduled departure time at 8AM. All economy passengers were directed to use the self-serve kiosks to check-in.

Once I printed my boarding pass, I made my way to the TSA PreCheck lane. There was no one in line ahead of my and I was airside within ten minute of being dropped off.

I made my way to my favorite lounge at SAN, the Airspace Lounge, located between the old and new parts of T2. Access was afforded to me thanks to my AMEX Platinum card.

Due to local COVID-19 restrictions, seating was spaced out and there was no longer self-serve food. I was the only passenger this morning.

Thanks to my AMEX Platinum card I also had a $10 food voucher. The menu was available online by scanning a QR code and then staff brought the food and drinks directly to the table.

To start, I ordered a Bloody Mary which was absolutely amazing. The friendly lounge staff also brought me an Americano to go. Snacks were available from behind the bar and included packaged chips and cookies.

I used my $10 food voucher to order a vegetarian Mediterranean wrap.

With ten minutes to boarding, I made my way to Gate 34. There was a dense fog over San Diego this morning which made for a very atypical view from the window.

Boarding began promptly at 7:25AM and was very orderly. Most passengers stayed socially distanced to the best of their abilities. The plane was boarded from back to front and done by rows.

Our bird, N849NN, was a B737-800 that was delivered to American Airlines in 2010. She was recently retrofitted with American’s new “Oasis” interior with slimline seats in both first and economy.

I was seated in 22A, a window seat on the left hand side of the aircraft. Each seat had 30″ of pitch and was roughly 17″ wide.

The Flight

American Airlines has significantly cut back on inflight service due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For economy passengers on flights between 900-2,199 miles, flight attendants hand out a snack bag during boarding including a bottle of water, Biscoff, and sanitizing wipe. No snacks, alcohol, or food is for purchase. In addition, other canned drinks are by request only.

We pushed back exactly on time at 8AM and had a very brief taxi to runway 27. Enjoy!

The new “Oasis” interiors on board the B737s were introduced by AA back in September of 2017. With “Oasis” each 737 would get an additional 12 Main Cabin seats for a total of 172 seats. Pitch was reduced to 30″. The IFE screens were also be removed in favor of a personal device holder with a USB port.

In addition, AA also added in seat power in Main Cabin.

The rest of the flight was unremarkable. Flight attendants made a few passes through the cabin to collect trash but that was it.

There were some great views of Grand Canyon National Park.

We also passed over the deserts of eastern Colorado.

It was a cold and wet day in Chicago as usual which blocked out the views of the city. We approached O’Hare from the east and landed on runway 28C. Enjoy!

Our taxi lasted for about 15 minutes before arriving at the gate.

Thanks for the ride N849NN!

This was a perfectly mundane flight from San Diego to Chicago during the COVID-19 pandemic. I was grateful for the chance to fly again and enjoyed the time I spent in San Diego. Until next time American!

The Details

• Flight: AA2680
• Aircraft: B737-800
• Class: Main Cabin
• Seat: 22A
• Route: Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)-San Diego International (SAN)
• Distance: 1,738 miles
• Duration: 4hrs 18min
• Departure: 10:06AM
• Arrival: 12:24PM

The Preflight

After taking my last flight in February 2020, COVID-19 grounded me for eight months. I finally had the chance to fly again with this economy trip to San Diego.

Armed with my surgical mask and hand sanitizer I arrived at Chicago O’Hare’s Terminal 3 two hours before the 10:10AM departure time.

While there were quite a few travelers in the terminal, it was nothing compared to the pre-pandemic madness at the check-in counters.

Every passenger had their masks on and most tried to stay socially distanced from one another.

I made my way to the Admirals Club between the H/K Concourses. While COVID-19 had forced American Airlines to close all Flagship Lounges and a majority of the Admirals Club’s, there was one Club open for flyers at ORD.

Gone are the buffet style large bowls of breakfast foods in the Admirals Club. Instead, the food was individually packaged. Breakfast options included hard boiled eggs, fresh fruit cups, yogurt, and milk.

There was also cereal, bananas, and oranges.

Carbs included granola and bagels. Toppings on offer included cream cheese, butter, peanut butter, and jelly.

Between 7-10AM the Admirals Club also offers made-to-order avocado toast. A masked and gloved attendant would help create it. Toppings included hard boiled eggs, salmon, prosciutto, onion, tomato, crumbled blue cheese, and feta cheese.

The self-serve espresso machine was still in operation and I had an Americano.

One reason I love the O’Hare H/K Admirals Club is the amazing views of the apron.

Still feeling peckish, I went back for a second serving of the avocado toast as well as a cream cheese bagel.

With five minutes to boarding I made my way to Gate H10. Right next to our plane was the special “Piedmont Airlines” livery on a A319, registration N744P.

Our bird for today was a B737-800, registration N806NN. She was delivered to American Airlines in March 2009.

As I checked ExpertFlyer before boarding, it was showing that this flight would be 100% full. Unlike Delta or Alaska, American Airlines is not blocking middle seats during the pandemic.

Boarding began on time at 9:35AM and the gate area was extremely crowded. Social distancing was near impossible.

The Flight

Upon boarding, each passenger was handed a small plastic bag with a water bottle, Biscoff, and sanitizing wipe. Due to COVID-19, American Airlines has cut back on inflight service. They no longer offer food or alcohol for purchase in the main cabin. In addition, water and canned beverages are not served for economy passengers.

This B737-800 featured American’s newest economy seat offering, dubbed “Project Oasis.” There are a total of 16 first class seats, 30 Main Cabin Extra seats, and 126 Main Cabin seats. Each Main Cabin seat offers 30″ of pitch and is 17″ wide.

American Airlines decided to remove IFE entertainment screens and instead installed a personal device holder in the seatback. Next to the device mount was a USB port.

In between the seats was a 110V outlet.

We pushed back on time at 10:10AM and had a fairly long taxi to the runway. The morning bank of departures was well underway.

Enjoy takeoff!

Once in the air I connected my tablet to the American Airlines Wi-Fi. Unfortunately, American decided to remove the inflight map and fleet details from their online interface.

We had clear skies cruising westwards towards California.

The rest of the flight was uneventful. There was no service on the flight but the flight attendants did make two passes through the cabin collecting trash.

As always we had a beautiful view of downtown San Diego on approach to runway 27.

We taxied directly to the terminal and passed by the Alaska Airlines “More to Love” livery B737-800.

Flight attendants asked all passengers to remain seated and deplaning was done row by row.

Thanks for the ride N806NN!

The Details

• Flight: AA1100
• Aircraft: B737-800
• Class: Domestic First
• Seat: 6A and 6B
• Route: Orlando International (MCO)-Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)
• Distance: 1,008 miles
• Duration: 3hrs 15min
• Departure: 6:58PM
• Arrival: 8:26PM

The Preflight

My SO and I arrived from London Gatwick aboard the Virgin Atlantic 747 and had about a four hour lay-over before our flight home to Chicago. We arrived at Terminal B Gate 81 and thanks to Global Entry quickly cleared CBP in about 20 minutes. After taking the tram to the domestic check-in area we made our way to TSA PreCheck. The domestic security area was packed and despite having PreCheck it took us roughly 30 minutes to finally make it pass the check point.

The airport tram took us from the central security area of Terminal B to Airside 3 where American Airlines mainly departs from.

There is a small Admirals Club at MCO next to Gate 54 and 55. There were great views of the airplanes from the lounge sitting area.

Food offerings included the usual cheese cubes, hummus, pita chips, hot coup, celery sticks, cookies and brownies. There was also a build-your-own salad bar and hot mac and cheese.

Our bird N909NN, a B737-800, was delivered to American Airlines back in 2012. Luckily, it was parked directly in view of us from the Admirals Club.

The Flight

Boarding began on time and my SO and I made our way back to the last row of the first class cabin in row 6. There are 16 first class seats in a 2-2- configuration from rows 3-6. There are no rows 1 or 2.

American Airlines currently has three sub-fleets of B737-800s. The “Classic” sub-fleet of B737s do not have seatback IFE screens in first class. Meanwhile, the “Enhanced” fleet features seatback IFE screens and larger overhead storage bins. Finally, the “Oasis” sub-fleet features American’s newest Domestic First class product which has personal device mounts but no seatback screen. This aircraft was a “Classic” B737.

Each seat featured 40″ of pitch with 20″ of width. The padding on the leather seats felt very worn and tired.

In between each seat was a small drink holder as well. No pre-departure beverages were offered to us. It is definitely hit-or-miss with crews offering pre-departure beverages.

In the center between the two seats were two 110V outlets.

We pushed back about two minutes early and had a beautiful dusk view of the American A321 at the gate next to us.

After a very quick taxi to the runway we departed in the dark above Orlando.

I connected to the inflight entertainment on my laptop and browsed a few of the movies and TV shows.

Service began with some pipping hot towels followed by a ramekin of warmed mixed nuts and my usual Bloody Mary.

For dinner, I opted for the cholesterol rich braised beef short ribs with mac and cheese accompanied by a fresh garden salad. I also had a delicious pretzel roll.

My SO went with the vegetarian four cheese ravioli which she nibbled on.

As we approached Chicago O’Hare the flight attendants came through the cabin with warm snickerdoodle cookies. Regrettably, my SO’s favorite chocolate chip cookies were not loaded on this flight.

We approached Chicago from the southeast and had some stunning views of the downtown skyscrapers off to the port side of the plane as we flew over Lake Michigan.

Enjoy!

After landing we taxied for about 20 minutes making two loops around O’Hare as we waited for a gate assignment. Eventually we got our gate assignment for K20. Thanks for the ride!

This was a perfectly fine Domestic First class flight with AA. The seat, food, and service were exactly what I expected.

The Details

• Flight: AA1287
• Aircraft: B737-800
• Class: Domestic First
• Seat: 4A and 4B
• Route: Boston Logan International (BOS)-Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)
• Distance: 865 miles
• Duration: 2hrs 49min
• Departure: 12:19PM
• Arrival: 2:07PM

The Preflight

After arriving from LHR the day before and spending a night at the Hyatt Regency Boston, we were finally on the last leg of the journey home to Chicago.

American Airlines departs from Terminal B at Boston Logan International Airport. There was a very nice Admirals Club.

Our flight departed at noon so we arrived in time for breakfast. I enjoyed the breakfast taco bar with scrambled eggs, bacon, and corn salsa. My SO had some granola and fruit.

Ironically, the lounge had great views of the Air Canada and Delta gates. I was surprised at just how many Air Canada flights there were.

We made our way to the gate for an on time boarding from Gate B11 at 11:37AM. Next door was another AA B737-800.

Our bird 19 year old bird, N955AN, was delivered to American Airlines in August 2001.

The Flight

American has 16 Domestic First class seats aboard their B737s. There are three distinct sub-fleets of 737s in the AA fleet; “Classic”, “Enhanced”, and “Oasis”. Retrofitted “Oasis” planes feature Americans newest Domestic First class seat with 37″ of pitch and 21″ of width. The older “Classic” non-retrofit planes have 40-41 inches of pitch and 20 inches of width. This aircraft was a “Classic” AA B737.

There was a small blanket at each seat.

Within the two older non-retrofit B737 sub-fleets (“Classic” and “Enhanced”), planes delivered before Dec 2013 (like today’s plane) do not have seat back AVOD. The B737s delivered after Dec 2013 (“Enhanced”) do have AVOD at each seat.

Each seat had a 110V outlet.

Shared between the seats was a small cocktail tray.

There was a bi-fold tray table with a dedicated cup spot.

When folded out completely; the tray table was massive. This is in contrast to the pitifully small tray tables aboard American’s LUS A321s.

All of the in-flight entertainment was available on a personal device.

We had a great crew on this flight who were super friendly. Pre-departure beverages were offered and I had a Bloody Mary.

We pushed back on-time and had some nice views of Terminal B.

15 minutes after take-off flight attendants came through with a beverage service. I had another Bloody Mary and my SO had a glass of orange juice.

A ramekin of warmed nuts followed.

Lunch was served on this flight. My SO had a salad. The chicken was rather sad looking and extremely bland.

I had pre-ordered the Zoe’s Charcuterie plate. Normally, it is served with pita chips but apparently catering forgot to load them… so I was given Fritos instead. The hummus was pretty good.

Warmed gooey chocolate chip cookies were handed out for dessert.

I also had a cup of black coffee.

The remainder of the flight was uneventful and mostly had views of clouds.

It was a cloudy day in Chicago and had some gray views of Chicagoland on our approach to runway 27L.

We landed about 10 minutes early and taxied for another 15 minutes.

Thanks for the flight!

This flight was another standard Domestic First trip with American Airlines. We got predeparture beverages which was nice and I always appreciate a warm chocolate chip cookies. Until next time AA!

The Details

• Flight: AA716
• Aircraft: A330-200
• Class: Business
• Seat: 3A and 4A
• Route: Charlotte Douglas International (CLT)-Munich (MUC)
• Distance: 4,573 miles
• Duration: 8hrs 45min
• Departure: 3:59PM
• Arrival: 6:09AM

The Preflight

Because our previous flight was delayed by almost two hours, what was originally a two hour thirty minute layover turned into a fifty minute layover in Charlotte. We quickly made our way to the Admirals Club to grab some water bottles and I managed to snap a picture of our bird at the gate.

Boarding began at 2:55PM and by the time we made it to the gate, general boarding had already began. Gate agents were scanning boarding passes and checking passports.

Our legacy US Airways A330-200, registration N286AY, was delivered back in 2013 making her almost seven years old.

The Flight

Americans A330-200s feature 20 business class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. These seats are the old US Airways Zodiac Cirrus Envoy Suites, which were the first reverse herringbone seats installed in the world.

There was ample storage below the foot well for my shoes.

The IFE screen flipped out from the seat in front. It was fairly dated but serviceable.

There was a small tray table that popped out from the left armrest.

Each seat featured a USB port, 110V outlet, and a three-prong headphone jack.

The seat controls were on the left side above the arm rest. There was also a small compartment just the right size for a passport and a phone.

The armrest on the aisle side could be raised or lowered. There was also a water bottle holder.

There was also a literature pocket on the floor in front of the seat.

Awaiting us at our seats were a pair of noise-cancelling Bang & Olufsen headphones. While nice, I still preferred my own pair of QC35’s.

The amenity kit was stocked with the usual contents. My SO did not like the Allies of Skin hand cream scent.

Both the Casper branded pillow and duvet were waiting for us at the seat in plastic wrapping. I really enjoyed the large plush pillow.

The duvet was a bit stiff and rough but comfortable enough. With the air nozzles above both blowing hard I was very cozy under the sheets.

Just like the flight attendants on our previous flight from ORD-CLT; the flight attendants on this flight were superb. The purser Anne was very welcoming and doted on my SO and I.

Pre-departure beverages were offered from a tray. Options included water, orange juice, sparkling wine, or a Heineken.

Anne the lovely purser then came by with the menus once we were situated.

Our orders were taken about 15 minutes later.

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We pushed back on time and had a smooth takeoff.

It was a beautiful day without a single cloud in the sky. We had clear views of downtown Charlotte.

Service began promptly after takeoff. Anne first came down our row with water bottles.

Delicious warmed mixed nuts and a glass of champagne followed.

Dinner service began just as the sun was setting.

There was only one choice of appetizer and salad on this flight. Both were served on a tray together. The shrimp was described as “Cajun grilled” served over broccoli slaw with a harissa aioli. It was actually pretty good and the aioli had a nice kick to it.

A bread basket was also brought out and I had the excellent pretzel bread.

For the main plate I had the braised short rib with morel jus. It was unfortunately cooked beyond well done. The asparagus and sweet potatoes were tender. By this time all of the pretzel bread rolls where finished and I switched to sourdough.

Anne made her way through the cabin and generously topped off my glass of champagne.

To finish, I had a delicious ice cream sundae topped with hot fudge, butterscotch, and pecans.

After the meal service flight attendants set up a snack area in the galley. There was an assortment of fresh fruit, raw vegetables, chicken wraps, ham sandwiches, and hard-boiled egg bowls.

There was also a snack basket filled with the same offerings as on domestic flights.

The rest of the flight was uneventful. Flight attendants made two passes through the cabin offering water for the passengers.

With 90 minutes until landing in Munich, breakfast was served. I had the three cheese and poblano pepper omelet with chicken sausages and roasted potatoes. The omelet itself was OK, very greasy and cheesy on the inside. The chicken sausages were good.

It was still pitch black outside as we made our approach and landing.

Unfortunately, we arrived at a remote stand at Munich. Flight attendants allowed all business class passengers to disembark first. We were bid farewell by the flight attendants and made our way to the buses.

We had a 10 minute bus ride to the terminal where we connected onto our next flight to Abu Dhabi..

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the business class product American Airlines offers. I had admittedly come in with low expectations and the entire experience exceeded them. The seat was very comfortable, the food was great, and the flight attendants phenomenal. I would happily fly American Airlines long-haul Flagship Business again.

The Details

• Flight: AA379
• Aircraft: A321
• Class: Domestic First
• Seat: 4A and 4C
• Route: Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)-Charlotte Douglas International (CLT)
• Distance: 599 miles
• Duration: 2hrs 5min
• Departure: 12:09PM (delayed 1hr 14min)
• Arrival: 2:28PM

The Preflight

To ring in 2020 and the New Year, my SO and I were going to fly to Abu Dhabi to celebrate. Our routing involved three legs: ORD-CLT, CLT-MUC, and finally MUC-AUH.

We began the day in the Flagship Lounge at Chicago O’Hare since we were flying international business on the second leg of our journey from ORD-CLT-MUC.

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I really do love the views of the apron from the Flagship lounge.

My SO and I enjoyed a few glasses of champagne. Cheers!

The weather was constantly changing that morning, from snow flurries, to sunshine, to cloudy. It made from some beautiful views.

Due to the snow, our inbound aircraft from Charlotte was delayed. As such our departure got pushed back by roughly two hours. At 11:15AM, an hour later than the original boarding time, my SO and I headed towards the gate. We passed by some beautiful AA aircraft including a B787-8 and A319.

The plane taking us to CLT today was an A321, registration N931AM, that was delivered to American back in 2017.

The Flight

American Airlines currently has two distinct sub-fleets of A321s. The Legacy US Airways (LUS) sub-fleet, dubbed “Classic”, features 16 Domestic First class seats, 15 Main Cabin Extra seats, and 156 Main Cabin seats. These “Classic” A321s lack in-seat power, have no IFE screens, and only have 36″ of pitch up front.

In comparison, the Legacy American Airlines (LAA) sub-fleet, dubbed “Enhanced”, features 16 Domestic First class seats, 36 Main Cabin Extra seats, and 129 Main Cabin seats. Each seat has a seatback screen and individual power ports. The first class cabin also has a very generous 39″ of pitch.

Our flight was delayed by about 45 minutes which resulted in an airplane swap. No complaints since we went from a LUS A321 to a LAA A321 (seat-back screens and in seat power!)

My SO and I were both seated in the last row of first class in 4A and 4C. There are a total of 16 seats in a 2-2 configuration.

The LAA sub-fleet of A321s had both in seat power and IFE screens. Compared the the LUS A321s this seat felt positively luxurious. I pulled up the flight map immediately once I got seated.

There was a generous amount of legroom at 39″. Each seat was 21″ wide.

The IFE remote was stored in the armrest. It was fairly clean and all the buttons were working fine.

In the center armrest was a bi-fold tray table.

It was large enough for my laptop and a drink.

In between the seat backs was a cocktail tray.

The flight attendants on this flight were simply phenomenal. Upon boarding, the flight attendant came by and offered to hang our coats. Once we got situated, the flight attendants came by to offer a pre-departure beverage (open bar!). I had a Bloody Mary and my SO had a glass of water.

Despite O’Hare having a dedicated de-icing facility, we were de-iced at the gate.

We had a fairly lengthy taxi to the runway. After about 30 minutes, we were cleared for takeoff.

About 15 minutes after takeoff our amazing flight attendants sprung into action. First up was a beverage service and I had a cup of black coffee.

Because our flight was under 699 miles (599 miles to be exact) the meal service was only a snack basket. We were encouraged to try all of the snacks and we shared four of them.

The chickpea puffs were our favorite while the sunflower seeds and rolled oats cookies were interesting.

The rest of the short flight was uneventful. We were offered another beverage service and the snack basket made a second round through the cabin.

We had a smooth approach and landed in CLT just in time to make it onto our next flight.

Despite the weather delay, I found this flight to be very pleasant. The flight attendants were both friendly, warm, and personable and made the entire experience pleasant. Until next time American!

The Details

• Flight: AA1025
• Aircraft: A321
• Class: Main Cabin
• Seat: 25A
• Route: Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)-San Diego International (SAN)
• Distance: 1,722 miles
• Duration: 4hrs 36min
• Departure: 10:52AM
• Arrival: 1:02PM

The Preflight

I booked this Christmas day flight to go visit family who live in San Diego. ORD-SAN is my most flown route, having done this a total of six times over the past two years.

Departing at 9:55AM, I arrived at 7:50AM and made it through TSA Precheck in about five minutes. My favorite Admirals Club at O’Hare is the H/K Concourse club. There are two more Admirals Club’s at ORD, one in Concourse G and one in Concourse L.

There was a beautiful sunrise view from the AC windows.

For breakfast, there was an avocado toast station and a make-your-own breakfast taco bar. Both options had a generous amount of topping choices.

The inbound flight from Miami was delayed by 20 minutes and our departure time was pushed back from 9:55AM to 10:12AM. O’Hare was fully in the Christmas spirit and American Airlines had a bunch of festive trees set up just outside the Admirals Club.

As I made my way to gate H6, I passed by the AA retro “Astrojet” livery.

American Airlines usually has a B737-800 for this ORD-SAN route, but on Christmas Day subbed in an A321.

Our A321, registration N158AN, was relatively new (3.8 years old). She was delivered to American Airlines in 2016.

The Flight

American Airlines currently has two distinct sub-fleets of A321s. One sub-fleet is made of legacy US Airways (LUS) A321s (“Classic”) that lack seatback screens and does not have in seat power. The other sub-fleet is made of legacy American Airlines (LAA) A321s (“Enhanced”) that have seatback screens and in seat power. Today, our plane was an “Enhanced” A321. There were a total of 16 first class seats, 36 Main Cabin Extra seats, and 129 Main Cabin seats.

My favorite seat aboard the LAA A321s are 25F and 25A. These are regular Main Cabin seats (not Main Cabin Extra) and can be selected without surcharge if on a regular economy fare. Both these seats feature unlimited legroom since there is no seat 24A or 24F.

Regular economy seats are 17.7″ wide but since this seat did not have a seatback in front, the tray table and IFE screen were in the armrest. This reduced the width to about 16.3″.

One downside is 25A directly faces the flight attendant during takeoff and landing. I prefer 25F over 25A since 25F does not face the jump-seat.

Unfortunately, the IFE screen folding mechanism was broken in my seat. The screen would not lock in the upright position forcing me to hold the screen upright the entire flight. When I asked the flight attendant if there was anything she could do, she told me to stream to my own device instead…

Boarding began on time for the delayed departure time of 10:12. Once the doors were closed, we sat at the gate for another 40 minutes before finally pushing back at 10:43 AM. There was a long line of aircraft ahead of us in line and we waited another 20 minutes before it was our turn to take-off.

We had a smooth takeoff and the captain flipped the seat belt sign off about 15 minutes into the flight.

Flight attendants came through the cabin with a snack and beverage service. There was the option of Biscoff cookies or pretzels and a choice of beverage. I opted for the pretzels and a cup of coffee. I ended up using the tray table to keep my screen upright the entire flight.

We passed over some beautiful snow covered Midwest farmland.

I managed to finish all of Hobbs and Shaw (Fast and Furious series) and part of Angel Has Fallen during the flight.

An hour before landing flight attendants came through the cabin a second time offering beverages. I had a cup of Diet Dr. Pepper (no full cans were given out).

Landing was a bit bumpy due to the rain in San Diego (!) but was otherwise uneventful. As always we had great views of downtown San Diego on approach to runway 27.

Taxiing to the gate was quick and only took about 10 minutes until I made it off the plane. Thanks for the ride!

On my way towards the exit and I passed two different Canadian carriers.

All in all, this was an OK economy flight with American Airlines. There was a delay of about an hour, my IFE screen mount was defective, and the flight attendants relatively ambivalent towards flyers. However, nothing terrible happened and I got home to visit the family.